WHAT INTERFERES WITH OLDER ADULTS’ PARTICIPATION IN A MODIFIED PRESCRIBED EXERCISE PROGRAM?

Abstract Exercise programs have great potential to help keep older adults active and independent in their homes. However, barriers to participation in a virtual coaching exercise program aimed at fall prevention is not well understood. This qualitative descriptive study with a conventional content analysis examined older adults’ perceptions of what interfered with their participation in a modified 3-month Otago exercise program. Ten older adults participated in five bi-weekly telephone coaching calls and interviews where they were asked about their last two weeks of exercise participation. Participants were mean age 71.3 (range 66 - 81), and mostly female (90%), Black (70%), and non-Hispanic (90%). While most of the participants routinely participated in their prescribed exercises, a few had difficulty completing the plan for some weeks. We identified two themes of what participants expressed had gotten in their way of routinely exercising: 1) distracted and busy (e.g., prepping for the holidays, death in the family, needing to clean home) and 2) physical problems (e.g., pain, being sick, injury). Only one participant said they lacked motivation, which resulted in them exercising less than their initial intention. These findings suggest that older adults want to participate in a routine exercise program, however, they sometimes have other priorities or physically cannot exercise. Program implementers should consider expanding timelines of physical training to account for weeks when older adults are unable to exercise and provide modifications for participants when ill, experiencing chronic pain, or have a new injury.

were merged (N=629).Eight outcome variables were used: overall resident satisfaction score and seven individual domain scores.They range from 0 (low) to 100 (high).For independent variables, we labeled NHs received 6 or more complaints per 100 residents in both 2018 and 2019 as 'high complaint repeaters.'Multiple linear regression was conducted.There is a statistically significant relationship between official complaints and resident satisfaction.High complaint repeaters had lower overall satisfaction score by 1.48 (p < .01);lower moving in score by 2.16 (p < .01);lower spending time score by 1.30 (p < .05);lower caregivers score by 1.20 (p < .05);lower meals and dining score by 2.18 (p < .05);lower environment score by 1.13 (p < .05);and lower facility culture score by 2.14 (p < .01)than non-high complaint repeaters.However, there is no association between complaints and care and services domain score.State policy makers need to consistently monitor high complaint repeaters and support them to reduce complaints.Also, providers should allocate resources and design strategies to improve residents' experiences.Exercise programs have great potential to help keep older adults active and independent in their homes.However, barriers to participation in a virtual coaching exercise program aimed at fall prevention is not well understood.This qualitative descriptive study with a conventional content analysis examined older adults' perceptions of what interfered with their participation in a modified 3-month Otago exercise program.Ten older adults participated in five bi-weekly telephone coaching calls and interviews where they were asked about their last two weeks of exercise participation.Participants were mean age 71.3 (range 66 -81), and mostly female (90%), Black (70%), and non-Hispanic (90%).While most of the participants routinely participated in their prescribed exercises, a few had difficulty completing the plan for some weeks.We identified two themes of what participants expressed had gotten in their way of routinely exercising: 1) distracted and busy (e.g., prepping for the holidays, death in the family, needing to clean home) and 2) physical problems (e.g., pain, being sick, injury).Only one participant said they lacked motivation, which resulted in them exercising less than their initial intention.These findings suggest that older adults want to participate in a routine exercise program, however, they sometimes have other priorities or physically cannot exercise.Program implementers should consider expanding timelines of physical training to account for weeks when older adults are unable to exercise and provide modifications for participants when ill, experiencing chronic pain, or have a new injury.

WHERE IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE? INTRA-GENERATIONAL DIVIDE ON APP USAGE IN POST-PANDEMIC HONG KONG
Bobo Hi-po Lau 1 , Eric Ngai Yin Shum 1 , Fan Yin-Fong Lui 1 , Gigi Lam 1 , Alex Pak-Ki Kwok 2 , and Chung-Kin Tsang 1 , 1. Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong The COVID pandemic has evoked extensive digitalization of our daily lives.This paper reports two studies conducted in the June/July 2023 that evaluated smartphone usage among Hong Kong middle-aged and older adults after 13 months of smartphone-based compulsory track-and-trace COVID policy.A focus group study with 145 adults aged 55 years or above (Max = 92) found that smartphones are used primarily for instant but asynchronous communication, thus, WhatsApp and WeChat are the most popular.Divisive usage is the most salient with apps that involve monetary transactions (e.g., mobile banking, online shopping) with participants having more trust towards the security provided by the device, the network, and the financial institutions as well as higher socio-economic status (SES) being more receptive.Higher SES was also related to a broader repertoire of app use.These findings corroborate with those from a concurrent survey with 750 smartphone users aged 45 or older (Max = 78).Using latent class analysis, we found two classes of users based on their usage on 18 categories of apps.Class 1 (64.3%) were more likely to use all categories of apps than Class 2 (35.7%), with the largest Chisquare values reported on apps for small-sum transactions, online shopping, private hire cab/courier, and mobile banking -all related to monetary transactions.Class 1 were younger, with higher SES, owning more smart devices, more proficient with mobile devices, and more optimistic with technologies than Class 2. Our findings elucidate directions for narrowing the digital divide within the older adult population.
Abstract citation ID: igad104.3697While caregivers are typically enmeshed in broad networks of family and friends assisting with care, this network is largely neglected, in favor of examining a "primary" caregiver.This study examines types of family/unpaid friend networks for persons living with dementia and how one's network type relates to caregiver well-being.Data are drawn from the nationally representative 2017 National Health and Aging Trends Study and associated National Study of Caregiving.The sample includes 336 dementia care networks (Network size mean=2.9).We first identified network types using Latent Class Analysis and then examined the extent to which network type is associated with outcomes of caregiver well-being (emotional difficulty, overload) and support (social/care-related support from family and friends) using ANOVA and linear regressions adjusting for caregiver demographics.The three network types identified were: "Specialists"-small networks with little task sharing between members (29.8% of networks), "Small but mighty"-small networks with high task sharing (23.0% of networks), and "Sharers"-large networks with diverse membership and members who share and who specialize in task assistance (47.2%)."Small but mighty" network membership was associated with significantly greater emotional difficulty of caregiving (F=4.0,p<.05) and marginally greater overload (F=2.8,p=.06) than "Specialist" and "Sharer" membership.However, in regressions, only social support significantly differed, with "Sharers" (B=-0.1,p<.01) and "Small but mighty" (B=-.2, p<.05) networks receiving significantly more support than "Specialists".Networks with more task sharing may require more social support, yet smaller network size, while carrying complex caregiving responsibilities, may take a greater emotional toll.

WHO'S ON YOUR TEAM? DEMENTIA FAMILY NETWORKS AND CAREGIVER WELL-BEING
Abstract citation ID: igad104.3698

WITHIN TWIN PAIR DIFFERENCES INDICATE GENETIC EFFECTS OF SES INDICATORS ON LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN PHYSICAL AGING
Deborah Finkel 1 , Malin Ericsson 2 , and Margaret Gatz 1 , 1. University of Southern California,Los Angeles,California,United States,2. Karolinka Institutet,Stockholm,Stockholms Lan,Sweden Socioeconomic status (SES) predicts change in health status over age, even after accounting for measured confounders such as environmental and biological risk factors.Nonetheless, the source of SES-health associations continues to be heavily debated.Twin studies offer a method for testing causal hypotheses by incorporating within and between twin pair differences in longitudinal latent growth curve models (LGCM) of physical aging on both level of functioning and rate of change with age.Three longitudinal twin studies of aging from the Swedish Twin Registry (N = 2059) included up to 27 years of follow-up on a Functional Aging Index (FAI) consisting of lung function, grip strength, walking speed, and self-report sensory functioning.SES indicators included education, financial strain, and occupation.Pair means (between family effect) and within pair differences (within family effect) were included as covariates of both intercept and slopes in a two-slope LGCM (intercept at age 75); models were corrected for sex and parental SES.LGCM results were compared across full sample, monozygotic twins, and dizygotic twins.For the FAI intercept, MZ within pair effects in all SES variables were strongly attenuated, indicating genetic confounding.For slope 1, only MZ within pair effect for education was attenuated, and no SES indicators were related to rate of change in FAI after age 75.Thus, results suggest shared genetic factors explain the association between education and change in physical aging in early aging processes.In other words, genes that impact educational achievement may also influence health behaviors and physical aging.